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Organic Trade Association (OTA) is a membership-based business association that focuses on the organic business community in North America.
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Do you raise chickens on pasture? Do you own a ranching operation in the Southwest? A dairy in the Northeast, or in
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Dairy Your Way Book from Minnesota Includes Information on Grazing and Organic Management Dairy Your Way is a free, 100-page book from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture that describes the variety of management alternatives... |  |
| Dairy. Making the Switch: Two Small Dairy Graziers Tell Their Stories This excellent profile is from Future Harvest, A Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture (CASA) in Maryland. | |
| Dairy. Simple, Complex and Raw: the Amazing Success of Organic Pastures Dairy Third generation Fresno dairyman Mark McAfee has designed a "pro-cow" environment that leads to pathogen-free raw milk. | |
| Dairy. Small-Scale Dairies: Barriers to Licensing As a part of legislation strengthening the state's dairy laws, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) was directed to convene a... | |
| Dairy: Checklist for Converting to Organic Dairy Production A fact sheet covering all of the basics of conversion to organic dairy. | |
| Dairy: Comparable Profitability of Northeast Organic Dairy Farms This slide show, presented by Bob Parsons of the University of Vermont, compares organic and conventional dairy returns for two years--2003 and... | |
| Dairy: Demand for Organic Dairy Products in USA Exceeds Supply--New Farmers Needed | |
| Dairy: From Conventional Dairy to Certified Organic, Grass-Based Creamery Thanks to a bit of imagination, entrepreneurship, and lots of hard work, this Minnesota dairy is being passed to the next generation as a thriving,... | |
| Dairy: Newly Organic, an Old New England Dairy Thrives in Massachusetts Bucking convention and the conventional, one farming family in a remote corner of Massachusetts fine tunes its operation and sets its priorities to... | |
| Dairy: Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance - NODPA The web site of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA) includes links, directories, events information, marketing information, and... | |
| Dairy: Organic Dairy Cow Health Some Thoughts on Holistic or Alternative Veterinary Medicine by Richard J. Holliday, DVM. This article is reprinted on the web site of the... | |
| Dairy: Survey Quantifies Cost of Organic Milk Production in California This study measures the cost of organic milk production, and in particular, the differences in cost of production between organic and conventional... | |
| Dairy: Training Boosts Pasture-Dairy Startup in Wisconsin Wisconsin's Beginning Dairy Farmers' School helps aspiring producers gain practical experience before taking on a herd of their own. The school is... | |
| Dairy: Transition to Organic Dairy Production A brief description of the transition process and timeline, followed by information on allowed and prohibited materials, rules for pasture, animal... | |
| Dairy: Transitioning to Organic Dairy In this collection of articles, the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance provides practical strategies for and insights into transitioning to... | |
| Hay: Dairy Demand Pushes Market for Organic Hay in Upper Midwest, Northeast With drought plaguing 2005 hayfields and demand for certified organic milk on a rapid rise, many organic dairy farmers and those in transition... | |
| Organic Vegetable and Dairy Operation in Southwest Colorado Outside of Durango, Colorado, the James Ranch is using holistic management, direct marketing, and community involvement to build a sustainable... | |
| Poultry Processing Resources Two guidebooks, from ATTRA: Small-Scale Poultry Processing, and Small Poultry Processing Plants and Services. | |
| Poultry: Getting Started with Pastured Chickens, Part I Or... how 6 chickens became 300 in just a year, and launched an organic egg business for two novices. Chock full of resources, links, hard-earned... | |
| Poultry: Pasture-Based Poultry Production in France, from ATTRA Pasture-raised poultry is increasingly popular in the U.S. American farmers and small companies can benefit from studying the French Label Rouge... | |
| Poultry: Pastured Poultry Resources from ATTRA This collection of articles from ATTRA addresses organic regulations, production systems and outdoor access, parasite management, nutrition,... | |
| Poultry: Sustainable Poultry Production Overview Alternative poultry production, especially pasture-based production, offers opportunities for producers interested in boosting incomes,... | |
| Poultry: Sustainable Poultry Web Site Alternative poultry production, especially pasture-based production, offers opportunities for producers interested in boosting incomes,... | |
| Fiber: The Organic Trade Association's American Organic Standards for Fiber--Post Harvest Handling, Processing, Record Keeping, & Labeling The Draft American Organic Standards for Fiber Post Harvest Handling, Processing, Record Keeping, & Labeling represent the Organic Trade... | |
| Beef. Organic, Natural and Grass-Fed Beef: Profitability and constraints to Production in the Midwestern U.S. Organic and grassfed beef marketers across the U.S. are searching for more supply to fill their potential markets. Iowa State Value-Added... | |
Beef: How to Direct Market Your Beef, from SARE "How to Direct Market Your Beef" portrays how one couple used their family's ranch to launch a profitable, grass-based beef operation focused on... | |
| Beef: Natural and Organic Beef Production in Arkansas Covers the requirements of organic production, and the costs. From the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. | |
| Beef: Natural Beef--Consumer Acceptability, Market Development and Economics in California This project provided insight into the viability of grass-fed beef marketing in California. Consumer surveys and focus groups indicated an interest... | |
| Beef: Organic Beef Marketing, Processing and Production Resources This excellent collection of resources also includes a detailed profile of the organic beef market, and a variety of case studies. | |
| Beef: Organic Grassfed Beef Coalition The Organic Grassfed Beef Coalition (OGBC) was assembled in 2005 as a team of producers, researchers, educators, and organic beef livestock... | |
| Beef: The 2006 Organic Grassfed Beef Market Report The generally accepted premiums for organic grassfed beef are anywhere from 30 to 60% over market depending on the buyer and availability. There... | |
| Beef: The Art of Aging Grassfed Beef Proper dry aging is basically an art, and you would need plant managers that are well seasoned in dry aging in order to have confidence in the... | |
| Beef: The Canadian Organic Livestock Association (COLA) The Canadian Organic Livestock Association (COLA) is a producer-controlled, international marketing association whose main focus is market... | |
| Beef: Transitioning Cattle to Organic Production A fact sheet from the certifier International Certification Services, Inc., of Medina, ND. | |
| Bison - Making the Switch to Organic Have you ever considered becoming certified organic? Due to the nature of the bison industry, the transition is easy. Bison are natural, low... | |
| Certified-Organic Dairies on Increase as Consumer Demand Escalates for Product This article analyzes the impact of the growth in demand for organic milk on businesses and farmers. | |
| Dairy Grazing can Provide Good Financial Return The graziers with the best financial performance in this study from the University of Wisconsin had slightly higher operating expenses per cow,... | |
| Dairy Resource List: Organic and Pasture-Based This resource list offers many sources of information helpful to organic and pasture-based dairy farmers, on topics including general organic... | |
| Dairy. The Organic Decision: Transitioning to Organic Dairy Production Are you prepared to transition? Organic milk production is significantly different from conventional dairy farming and takes several years. An... | |
| Dairy: Considering Organic Dairy? Resources for MN Farmers Two-page fact sheet provides essential resources for those considering a transition to organic dairy production, including lists of buyers, helpful... | |
| Dairy: Cornell Leads Initiative to Promote Organic Milk Production in New York state A new Cornell University effort aimed at promoting organic milk production in New York state was launched in the summer of 2006. The NY Organic... | |
| Dairy: Cost and Returns to Organic Dairy Farming in Maine and Vermont for 2004 There is a vacuum of any rigorous, quantified studies on the costs of producing organic milk in the United States despite growth and interest in... | |
| Dairy: Crop Rotation Planning for Dairy Farms, from Penn State University Crop rotations can benefit dairy farms in many ways. An effective crop rotation meets the feed needs of the operation, improves crop yields,... | |
| Dairy: Environment, Income and Family Benefit on Organic Dairy Farm The Forgues Family Organic Dairy Farm in northern Vermont provides a prime example of how the environment, a dairy's bottom line and a family's way... | |
| Dairy: Factors to Consider for Organic Dairy Farming in Arkansas Addresses costs of transition and includes budgets. From the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. | |
| Dairy: Facts about Organic Dairying This presentation from the 5th Annual Arizona Dairy Production Conference in 2006 discusses cost of production, labor, herd health, cost of... | |
| Dairy: Grass-Based and Seasonal Dairying Grass-based dairies use skilled management and controlled rotational grazing. Managers offer dairy quality forages for the entire grazing season.... | |
| Dairy: Guidelines for Dairy Farms Making the Transition to Certified Organic Milk Production Vermont Organic Farmers and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont produced this set of guidelines in 2002, outlining how to... | |
| Dairy: Guidelines for Dairy Farms Making the Transition to Certified Organic Milk Production, from Maryland Dept of Ag. A transition fact sheet for Maryland. | |
| Dairy: How is Cheese from Pastured Cows Unique? What makes specialty cheese special? More specifically, what taste characteristics make cheese from pastured cows unique? These are important... | |
| Dairy: Mastitis and Related Management Factors in Certified Organic Dairy Herds in Sweden Mastitis is one of the major threats to animal health, in organic farming as well as conventional. Preliminary studies of organic dairy herds have... | |
| Dairy: NOFA-Mass Organic Dairy Program The NOFA-Mass Organic Dairy Program seeks to provide Massachusetts dairy farmers with information about organic milk production and the transition... | |
| Dairy: Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance E-mail Discussion List Odairy: Organic Dairy Farmer Discussion Group, associated with Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA). How to Join: To become a member... | |
| Dairy: Organic Dairy Marketing, Processing and Production Resources This excellent collection of resources also includes a detailed profile of the organic dairy market, and a variety of case studies. | |
| Dairy: Pastures of Plenty--Financial Performance of Wisconsin Grazing Dairy Farms Farms using managed grazing typically produce less milk per cow than confinement farms. However, a series of economic studies in Wisconsin and... | |
| Dairy: Safe Sell Dairy--Creative Ways to Sell Dairy Products Safely at Farmers' Markets Contains information on various aspects of direct selling. Legal, presentation and food safety issues are discussed and many innovative suggestions... | |
| Dairy: The Organic Decision: Transitioning to Organic Dairy Production Workbook This workbook, developed by Cornell Cooperative Extension specialists in consultation with NODPA, helps explore the possibilities of transitioning... | |
| Dairy: The Small Dairy Resource Book Intended for family farmers who want to produce value-added dairy products, The Small Dairy Resource Book evaluates books, periodicals, videos and... | |
| Dairy: The Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers The University of Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy Farmers is the only program of its kind in the nation for an education in grass-based... | |
| Dairy: Transition to Certified Organic Dairy (Fluid) Production--75 Milking Cow Herd on 50 Acres | |
| Dairy: Twelve Aprils Dairying System in South Carolina: A Manual for Farmers Tom Trantham'sTwelve Aprils grazing program has been part of three Southern Region SARE projects. Tom has influenced scores of experienced and... | |
| Dairy: Value Added Dairy Options Dairy farmers can add value to their milk by processing and marketing their own products, such as cheeses, yogurt, butter, ice cream, and... | |
| Different 'Grass-Fed' Beef Categories Require Differing Strategies This article breaks down grass-fed beef into three categories: grass-fed baby beef, lean grass-fed beef, and grass-fat beef. The market for each... | |
| Goats: Meat Goat resources Key resources on meat goat production and marketing from the Minnesota Food Association, which is devoted to sustainable food systems in the state. | |
| Grains: Utah Organic Grain Producer Builds on Last Generation's Successes A SARE profile of Utah farmer Lydia Poulsen, who sells about 90 percent of her organic grain to area livestock producers. When she transitioned... | |
| Growing Your Range Poultry Business: An Entrepreneur's Toolbox This Toolbox is written for anyone who desires to make a profit from range poultry production, whether by direct-marketing "pastured poultry,"... | |
| Guide to Starting or Modifying a Poultry Operation This guide, which includes a section on organic poultry production, is for farmers considering starting or modifying poultry operations. It... | |
| Hog Production Alternatives Livestock Production Guide This publication addresses the two different directions in which hog production is currently moving: 1) contracting with large-scale vertical... | |
| Hogs. Pasture Pigs and Crop Rotation: a Profile of a Kansas Farmer Description of a pasture finishing system for hog production in Kansas that reduces runoff from hog lots and cropland. | |
| Hogs: Profitable Pork: Alternative Strategies for Hog Producers Farmers who want to successfully produce pork on a small scale can preserve their independence in the face of the consolidating hog industry.... | |
| Hogs: Adding Value for Small Pork Producers via Natural Production Methods and Direct Marketing This project involves converting three older hog confinement buildings to deep-bedded Swedish style barns. Production capacity can be expanded to... | |
| Hogs: Considerations in Organic Hog Production Part of the Organic Matters series designed to speed the flow of technical information to those engaged in organic production, this 43-page... | |
| Hogs: Cost of Organic Pork Production Projected costs for two organic pork production systems are provided: a seasonal system and a continuous production system. From Iowa State... | |
| Hogs: Designing Feeding Programs for Natural and Organic Pork Production This online workbook from the University of Minnesota covers ingredients allowed in organic diets of pigs, challenges of feeding organically,... | |
| Hogs: Dry Litter Systems for Hogs Tested on Hawaiian Farm Producers in Hawaii are exploring a different approach to manure and nutrient management that employs a dry litter technology. The system, imported... | |
| Hogs: Family Farms vs. Hog Factories 11 discussion points which can be used to explain why large-scale swine production facilities are very different from traditional family farms, and... | |
| Hogs: Organic Pig Production In Great Britain This 4-page fact sheet from Newcastle University in England addresses animal welfare, dry sow management and feed and may have some relevance for... | |
| Hogs: Organic Pork Marketing, Processing and Production Resources This excellent collection of resources also includes a detailed profile of the organic pork market, and a variety of case studies. | |
| Hogs: Sustainable Swine Production Resources from the Practical Farmers of Iowa Reports and articles on sustainable livestock management, focused on sustainable swine production. | |
| Hogs: Swedish-Style Hog Production in Minnesota Minnesota farmer Nolan Jungclaus' great-grandfather homesteaded the family farm in 1896. But a century later, the crop farm was no longer... | |
| Hogs: The Natural and Organic Pork Market: A Sustainable Niche for Small-Scale Producers? An article from the American Journal of Alternative Agriculture, Vol. 18 No. 1, 2003 9 pages. | |
| Hogs: The Price We Pay for Corporate Hogs This large report from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy takes a comprehensive look at the impact and cost of large factory-style hog... | |
| Maryland Small Ruminant Page The purpose of this web site is to provide information to sheep and goat producers and anyone else interested in sheep and goat production. The... | |
| Poultry. Chicken Feed: A Web Site on Organic and Natural Feeding and Raising of Chickens This homegrown web site offers sources of natural chicken feed, knowledge about traditional ways of raising chickens around the world and in old... | |
| Poultry: Comparing Alternative Laying Hen Breeds: On-farm Research in Minnesota Farmer Suzanne Peterson conducted research to determine the feasibility of raising alternative breeds of laying hens. Most egg-laying operations... | |
| Poultry: Free Range Poultry Guide Provides a description of a free range system, a production budget, and a comparison between three different approaches: free-range, pastured... | |
| Poultry: Management of the Parasitic Disease Coccidiosis for Natural and Organic Poultry Both small and large poultry producers are interested in the sustainable management of the parasitic disease coccidiosis. This publication... | |
| Poultry: Marketing Pastured Poultry Three resources on marketing pastured poultry: a profile of how a French program successful marketed poultry; an organic poultry marketing report,... | |
| Poultry: Organic Eggs This fact sheet from Maritime Certified Organic Growers Cooperative of Canada outlines organic poultry production methods, suitable breeds,... | |
| Poultry: Organic Meat Birds This fact sheet from the Maritime Certified Organic Growers of Canada outline organic meat bird production methods, breeds, rations, diseases,... | |
| Poultry: Organic Poultry Marketing, Processing and Production Resources This excellent collection of resources also includes a detailed profile of the organic poultry market, and a variety of case studies. | |
| Poultry: Organic Poultry Production Disease Risks Associated with Raising Free-range Poultry This research report addresses organic requirements, environmental controls, pest controls and health management practices. From the University of... | |
| Poultry: Organic Poultry Production Research This report from the University of Minnesota addresses organic production issues, substitutes for synthetic methionine and alternative feedstuffs. | |
| Poultry: Pastured Poultry Discussion Forum | |
| Poultry: Profitable Poultry--Raising Birds on Pasture "Profitable Poultry: Raising Birds on Pasture" features farmer experiences plus the latest research in a guide to raising chickens and turkeys... | |
| Poultry: Raising Organic Pasture Poultry Producers are choosing to grow pasture poultry because they believe it is the most ethical way to grow poultry. The birds are handled in a... | |
| Poultry: Raising poultry on pasture in Wisconsin A good resource for Wisconsin farmers interested in exploring pastured poultry. The article covers the economics, time investment, butchering... | |
| Poultry: Remedies for Health Problems of the Organic Laying Flock A compendium and workbook of management, nutritional, herbal, and homeopathic remedies compiled by Karma E. Glos of Kingbird Farm in New York,... | |
| Poultry: Selecting Organic Poultry Breeds This article from Canada provides detailed information on suitable breeds for organic production. | |
| Poultry: Small Scale Poultry Flocks Resources This listing of resources from North Carolina State University covers layer hens, predator and behavior problems, broilers, incubation, hatching,... | |
| Poultry: Small-Scale Egg Production, Organic and Non-Organic This fact sheet from Penn State provides production information, livestock budgets and more. | |
| Poultry: The American Pastured Poultry Producers Association The American Pastured Poultry Producers' Association (APPPA) was established in 1997 to assist all pastured poultry producers in North America.... | |
| Poultry: Walters Hatchery: Raising a Future with Heirloom Turkeys in Oklahoma A profile of a sustainable pastured turkey operation in Oklahoma. | |
| Profile of an Organic Dairy Farmer in Wisconsin This case study, from the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems in Wisconsin, shares the results of a five-year transition from a conventional... | |
| Sheep: Minnesota Lamb and Wool Producers Association Annual Conference The Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers (MLWP) annual conference and trade show focuses on flock health and risk management. The program includes two... | |
| Sheep: Thirteen Mile Organic Lamb and Wool Company Becky Weed and Dave Tyler have been grazing sheep on the diversified grass pastures of Thirteen Mile Farm since 1987. They now run 270 certified... | |
| Specialty Livestock: The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization working to protect over 150 breeds of livestock and poultry from... | |
| Storey Publishing Guides to Raising Animals Storey's Guide to Raising series offers insight on farm management, livestock farming, and caring for and raising the "outdoor" members of your... | |
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| Pathway to Organic: Producers // Processors | |
Regional Guide: United States | |
North American Directory | |
Key Resources |
Disclaimer: Organic Trade Association (OTA) is providing this information solely as a resource to the public. Although the information contained on this site is believed to be correct at the time of posting, OTA disclaims all responsibility for any damages or liability that may result from use or reliance on this web site or information contained herein
© 2010 the Organic Trade Association